Azerbaijani foreign minister, US advisor discuss normalization, peace agreement with Armenia

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov on Monday discussed the normalization process and peace agreement with Armenia in a meeting with US chief advisor on negotiations between Baku and Yerevan Louis Bono in Baku.

“During the meeting, the future prospects of the negotiation process on the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace agreement, as well as other components of the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process, were discussed,” a statement by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry read.

The statement said Bayramov drew attention to Armenia’s failure to fulfill its obligations under the Tripartite Agreement, in addition to not completely withdrawing its forces from Azerbaijan’s territory, and continuing its occupation of eight Azerbaijani villages as well as regular “military and political provocations.”

“At the same time, he (Bayramov) said that two soldiers of Azerbaijan were captured, physical violence was used against one of the captives, and it is important to release them immediately,” the statement further said.

The statement concluded that the two parties also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest.

In the most recent rise in tensions between Baku and Yerevan, three Azerbaijani soldiers were killed last Tuesday during an attack by Armenian forces in the Lachin district of the East Zangezur region.

Relations between the two former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

In the fall of 2020, in 44 days of clashes, Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages, and settlements from Armenian occupation. The Russian-brokered peace agreement is celebrated as a triumph in Azerbaijan.​​​​​​​